Pat Kiely, the former managing director of Virgin Media Television, Ireland, has launched entertainment media venture BiggerStage.
The Dublin-headquartered company is set up with a three-pillared approach. It will develop original content for the global market and position Ireland as a hub for international television production. It will represent established talent in broadcasting and entertainment as well as offering a development program for future stars.
BiggerStage also aims to partner with industry stakeholders, including advertisers, to develop new ways to fund and scale the audio-visual sector in addition to leveraging market benefits and incentives in Ireland.
Joining Kiely at launch are three industry specialists. Sean O’Riordan, who specializes in unscripted and factual entertainment, with previous experience in production and development at All3Media’s Betty, Chalkboard TV and the BBC, will be creative director. Jamie Macken, previously the co-managing director of leading Irish marketing communications and advertising agency Core, will oversee funding and partnerships, while Jane Russell, founder of Outlaw Management, is joining BiggerStage with an existing roster of talent.
BiggerStage will open a U.K. office later this month and discussions are underway with several U.S. agencies to establish a presence in North America.
An industry veteran, Kiely was with Irish broadcaster TV3 Group, which was rebranded as Virgin Media Television after it was bought by Liberty Global, for 22 years, the last four as managing director. He left in 2020.
Kiely said: “Ireland can play a much bigger part in creating and producing world-class programming for the international market. Global demand for quality content has never been so high and BiggerStage will offer a unique approach, showcasing Ireland’s capabilities across TV production, format creation and talent development.”
“As a country, we enjoy so many benefits that are hugely attractive to international program makers,” Kiely added. “We also have an abundance of talent across the media industry that can fuel the demands of the major networks and streamers for whom popular content remains king. In joining some of the dots across our three pillars of activity, we hope we can play our part in helping Irish talent play on a bigger stage.”
